befriending

present participle of befriend

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of befriending The Trasks encounter a wide swath of citizens, haggling with sneaky cheats, exploiting innocent fools, and befriending big-hearted neighbors. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2026 Holmes invited documentarians to capture the Theranos founder’s last few days of freedom before going to prison (and eventually befriending Jen Shah/shunning Ghislaine Maxwell). — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026 Gigi had joined Hollis’ girls’ weekend after befriending her online out of complicated guilt over her affair with Matthew. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Aug. 2026 Yes, many passengers on these upscale brief sailings enjoy a drink or two, but befriending a bartender isn’t the mission. — David Dickstein, Oc Register, 15 July 2026 Henrietta also had a particular fondness for befriending young women, and disseminating scientific works and sharing knowledge with them. — Leah Hudson, Popular Science, 9 July 2026 Living in Rio de Janeiro, Luiza dreams of being an artist, eventually befriending a local graffiti group. — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 16 June 2026 Utterback, who’d just gotten married and bought a house in Omaha, instead devoted himself to learning on his own, poring over books, making regular trips to Japan, and befriending masters of the craft. — Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 8 June 2026 Palmer-Tomkinson was friends with both William and Prince Harry, befriending them in childhood. — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befriending
Verb
  • Robinhood is disclosing its participation for the first time, joining high-profile backers including Andreessen Horowitz, Accel, and Founders Fund.
    — Morgan Chittum, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Palestine Action founder Huda Ammori encouraged joining offshoot groups to circumvent the ban, the Telegraph reported.
    — Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 22 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Pradasphere, the first permanent exhibition dedicated to Prada after earlier traveling iterations in 2014 in London and Hong Kong, and in 2023 in Shanghai, definitely reflects this cross-pollination of influences.
    — Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Storms capable of causing hail and wind damage were traveling through central Arizona early Thursday, with some flood watches and the possibility of tornadoes, the National Weather Service said.
    — Wufei Yu, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Befriending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befriending. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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